Armed & Friendly (Newspaper article on the gun culture in India)

[Beagle-zebub]

We do have it really good in much of America in terms of firearms laws, but you guys have pretty great pharmaceutical laws, at least from the standpoint of the consumer. (I'm making this assertion based upon an article I read in Smithsonian magazine.) I have to get a prescription for every new bottle of face-medicine and every new asthma inhaler, despite their obviously benign nature. Pseudo-socialist politicians in America demand that the state provide healthcare for Americans at our grossly inflated rates (twice what those in the UK pay), but would never even consider liberalising our drug laws to the point where people could afford healthcare without having to kneel at the altar of the state.

 

[coelacanth]

umm.....Travis?

I believe abhijeet identified herself as well, herself.

 

[abhijeet]

Errr... I am very much a "he" However the article I posted above has not been written by me, it was penned by a journalist by the name of Ms. Sharmila Ganesan. We (the other IFG members and I) were interviewed by her over the period of a week prior to her writing the piece... Hope this helps clarify any confusion as to gender

Cheers!
Abhijeet

 

[coelacanth]

whoops.....my bad

:banghead:

 

[pax]

Abhijeet, good to see you posting on THR.

That's a great article. As I was reading it, I was thinking how brave you & your friends were to be interviewed for such an article, given India's anti-gun climate. It really could have been a hatchet job instead of the nice article it turned out to be! Thanks for taking the risk of educating a few folks, and thanks for sharing it with us.

pax

PS I like your sig line quote, too.

 

[abhijeet]

Hi Pax,

The pleasure is all mine I've been pointing several anti-gun women to your personal site for some time now. The articles there are well written and it really helps debunk the male only "macho" perception about guns (and gun ownership), that most people in India seem to suffer from. The gun terms glossary you have there is also handy for newbies

You are right about it having been a bit of a gamble, and most of our members were initially quite reluctant to talk to her. But in the end it was a gamble we decided had to be taken, as there was simply no one out there speaking out for gun owners! But we really did not know for sure what angle she was going to take - till the time we saw the article in print...

Cheers!
Abhijeet

 

[SAG0282]

Welcome! That was a REALLY fascinating article, thanks for posting.

 

[Mannix]

Welcome, the article and site were certainly worth reading.

 

[Doggy Daddy]

Creeping Incrementalism

“In some parts like UP and Bihar, the only way to get a gun licence is to undergo a vasectomy,”

Quick, we need a comedian to make a joke about this.

You know, some say that if you can't ban the gun, the next best thing is to ban the ammunition...

 

[Doggy Daddy]

And I don't want to know ANYTHING about reloading!

 

[pax]

Funny stuff, but ...

I don't believe Art's Grammaw would be happy with any further jokes along those lines.

Thanks.

pax

 

[Doggy Daddy]

I tried to tread a fine line.

I apologize to Art's grammaw.

 

[pax]

No prob, Doggy -- just wanted to make sure the next guy that came along didn't trip over the line without realizing it was there.

pax

 

[Afy]

Abhijeet

Where abouts do you shoot?
While I was living in India I did own amongst other things an M1A Garand, and M1 Carbine both semi auto. I also had a 9 mm Luger... which I am sure you realise would make me a little different.

I know the Srifort trap/skeet range but cant figure out where youre shooting.

I no longer live in India, and do still actively shoot. Mainly .22 lr or 300 WM.

 

[abhijeet]

Hi Afy,

The Shirfort range is only a 10 metre airguns only range. In the days when I'd participate competitively, I used to shoot at the HH Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Ranges at Tughlaqabad - but haven't been there since about '95 or so... The ranges at Tuglaqabad are the only (open to public) ranges in Delhi with Trap/ Skeet facilities. There is also a privately owned range built and run by Naveen Jindal of the Jindal business group, but that is only for his personal use and anyone he chooses to invite there Though I hear he has permitted the Indian squad to train there...

Yep, owning a semi-automatic long gun is unusual here as they are classified as "Prohibited Bore" (PB) weapons along with all guns capable of chambering and firing any military calibre ammo... so all three guns mentioned by you would have been particularly difficult to acquire licenses for.... Are the Garand , Carbine and 9mm on your Dad's or Grandad's licenses? Or are they actually entered on your own?

I had my Grandad's 1991A1 Colt in .45 transferred to my name several years ago and frankly the process was not an easy or pleasant one! The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Licensing branch, while forwarding my application to the Home Ministry, told me that he too had applied for a PB license some years back and that it was rejected!! But I persisted and in the end prevailed!

Where are you based now? USA?

Cheers!
Abhijeet

P.S. - Thank you to all those here who have extended such a warm welcome - this is a friendly bunch indeed, a real pleasure being here!

 

[ArfinGreebly]

Silencer

“At least, you can buy a silencer for a gun,”

Koff, koff.

There's got to be a good Title 3 joke in there somewhere . . .

Not as though that one isn't good in and of itself.

Koff.

Chuckle.